Michigan is a leader in the rise of alternative drug courts in the United States. These courts give people struggling with drug addiction the chance to avoid jail or prison and get help for their health problem. But do they really work? First, let's briefly discuss...
What does it mean to truly know what another person is thinking? Philosophy aside, both Michigan and federal law make it a crime to intend to sell or distribute a controlled substance like methamphetamine or a legal drug like fentanyl if you are not a licensed...
The next time you read a news report that says Officer XYZ from a police department found Person ABC in possession of illegal drugs, think of Deputy Zachary Wester and remember that things are not always what they appear to be. A few days ago, former Jackson County...
Anyone who watches crime shows has probably heard television detectives discussing evidence, warrants and probable cause. While the sensational aspects of police dramas may overshadow these legal concepts, it is important for our readers in Michigan to know that rules...
Individuals have rights protected by both state laws as well as the United States Constitution when it comes to searches. Article I section 11 of the Michigan state legislature states that there must be a description of the property or premises to be searched, as well...
With the drug epidemic sweeping our nation today, prisons have become overcrowded. This problem has forced states to come up with their own alternative solutions to imprisonment for lesser crimes. One of the alternative forms of punishment and rehabilitation for...
Possession of a controlled substance is a serious criminal offense. However, it is likely the most common of any criminal charge due to the drug epidemic sweeping our nation today. Sentencing guidelines and drug classifications for these crimes vary from...
Defenses exist to drug possession charges, but the defenses that apply to a particular case will greatly depend on the facts of the relevant matter. Not all defenses apply to all cases. Here we will discuss several general drug possession defenses that may be used as...
Police officers in the nearby Michigan community of Dowagiac recently arrested two individuals after stopping their vehicle and searching them and their property. Apparently the officers involved in the matter spotted the driver of the vehicle and recognized him as an...
Regardless of laws legalizing marijuana going into effect in some other states, the war on drugs wages on in Michigan. Law enforcement agents and prosecutors still aggressively pursue drug cases, and the penalties handed down to those convicted of drug crimes can be...
